Computer intercommunication system

Abstract

In a system of computers interconnected for communication between any two or more of the interconnected computers, such intercommunication being in packets of information in a standardized format normally at a standardized speed, a standardized location within the format is provided to contain information that may be used to change the intercommunication speed for the remainder of that particular packet.

I claim: 
     
       1. A computer intercommunication system, comprising an intercommunication bus; a plurality of computers; an equal plurality of interface means, each interface means being associated with and electrically connected to a respective one of said computers and to said bus to accept signals from the said one computer and to place such signals on said bus, or to accept signals from said bus and to feed them to the said one computer, said interface means being normally operable at a standarized speed but capable of operating at other speeds; program means within each computer for enabling that computer to assemble information to be communicated into a standardized information packet, such packet containig a place to introduce information that can be used by computers in intercommunication therewith by way of said bus to increase the speed of communication for the other information in the packet and to cause the sending computer to increase the speed of transmission of the packet after transmission of the speed information if the latter indicates increased speed, and to cause the receiving computer to increase the speed of receiving the other information in the packet after receiving the speed information, if the latter indicates increased speed. 
     
     
       2. A system according to claim 1, wherein computer peripheral equipment is included in the system and independently connected with the bus by its own interface means. 
     
     
       3. A system according to claim 2, wherein the standardized information packet contains address information addressing an individual packet to one or more of the interconnected computers or peripheral equipment prior to the speed change information. 
     
     
       4. A system according to claim 3, wherein the communication bus is connected to the computers and to any peripheral equipment in common. 
     
     
       5. A system according to claim 4, wherein each interface means includes a standard UART circuit. 
     
     
       6. A system according to claim 5, wherein the common bus is adapted to give a continuous high indication when not in use, and the interface means includes means to detect such high signal and to provide an indication of bus availability after detecting a continuous high level on the bus line for a predetermined time period. 
     
     
       7. A system according to claim 6, wherein each information packet begins with at least a predetermined number of continuous low signals, and the interface means includes means to detect such low signals and to provide an indication of start of an information packet after the predetermined minimum number of continuous low level signals on the line. 
     
     
       8. A system according to claim 7, wherein the means for detecting the high signal and the means for detecting the low signals are counters. 
     
     
       9. In a system of computers containing information and interconnected for communication between any two or more of said computers at a standardized speed by means of a standardized information packet, means for providing as part of any information packet to be communicated from one computer to another, information regarding speed of intercommunication of the remainder of that communication; and means responsive to the speed information for changing the intercommunication speed when a change is indicated. 
     
     
       10. A method of increasing the amount of data and number of communications that can be transmitted over a communication system of interconnected computers which normally operates at a standardized speed, comprising the steps of establishing a format of intercommunication between any two or more of the interconnected computers; providing a location in that format which may be used for the inclusion of information to increase the speed of intercommunication for the remainder of that communication; programing the computer connected to such system to assemble or read information in such format; and increasing the speed of intercommunication for the remainder of a communication in response to the speed increase information.